TY - JOUR
T1 - Rapid, early and sustained virological responses in a cohort of Irish patients treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus infection
AU - Sarwar, S.
AU - Ryan, E. J.
AU - Iqbal, M.
AU - McCormick, P. A.
AU - O'Farrelly, C.
AU - Hegarty, J.
PY - 2012/3
Y1 - 2012/3
N2 - Background The response to the treatment with pegylated interferon (PEG IFN)-α combined with ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection varies with some patients having a rapid or early response which is not sustained. Aims To investigate the rates of rapid virological response (RVR), early virological response (EVR) and sustained virological response (SVR) in an Irish cohort of HCV infected patients receiving IFN-α/ribavirin. Methods Rates of RVR, EVR and SVRwere examined in 123 patients undergoing standard treatment for chronic HCV infection between 2001 and 2007 at a Dublin Teaching Hospital. Results The rates of RVR, EVR and SVR in genotype 1 patients were 48, 68 and 50%, while in genotype 2/3 patients they were 87, 93 and 87%, respectively. The positive predictive values (PPV) of RVR for SVR in genotype 1 and genotype 2/3 patients were 90 and 92.4%, respectively. Conclusion The rates of response to PEG IFN-α/ribavirin in Irish patients are consistent with other international reports. We support the regular monitoring of rapid and early virological response as a standard of care in treating chronic hepatitis C patients.
AB - Background The response to the treatment with pegylated interferon (PEG IFN)-α combined with ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection varies with some patients having a rapid or early response which is not sustained. Aims To investigate the rates of rapid virological response (RVR), early virological response (EVR) and sustained virological response (SVR) in an Irish cohort of HCV infected patients receiving IFN-α/ribavirin. Methods Rates of RVR, EVR and SVRwere examined in 123 patients undergoing standard treatment for chronic HCV infection between 2001 and 2007 at a Dublin Teaching Hospital. Results The rates of RVR, EVR and SVR in genotype 1 patients were 48, 68 and 50%, while in genotype 2/3 patients they were 87, 93 and 87%, respectively. The positive predictive values (PPV) of RVR for SVR in genotype 1 and genotype 2/3 patients were 90 and 92.4%, respectively. Conclusion The rates of response to PEG IFN-α/ribavirin in Irish patients are consistent with other international reports. We support the regular monitoring of rapid and early virological response as a standard of care in treating chronic hepatitis C patients.
KW - Early viral kinetics
KW - Hepatitis C
KW - Pegylated interferon-α
KW - Predictive value
KW - Rapid early and sustained virological responses
KW - Ribavirin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862982948&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11845-011-0775-4
DO - 10.1007/s11845-011-0775-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 22038749
AN - SCOPUS:84862982948
SN - 0021-1265
VL - 181
SP - 53
EP - 58
JO - Irish Journal of Medical Science
JF - Irish Journal of Medical Science
IS - 1
ER -